Technical Field
This disclosure relates to activators of one or more proteins in the Wnt pathway, including activators of one or more Wnt proteins, and compositions comprising the same. More particularly, it concerns the use of a γ-diketones or salts or analogs thereof, in the treatment of osteoporosis and osteoarthropathy; osteogenesis imperfecta; bone defects; bone fractures; periodontal disease; otosclerosis; wound healing; craniofacial defects; oncolytic bone disease; traumatic brain or spine injuries; brain atrophy/neurological disorders related to the differentiation and development of the central nervous system, including Parkinson's disease, strokes, ischemic cerebral disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia; otic disorders like cochlear hair cell loss; eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema or retinitis pigmentosa; and diseases related to differentiation and growth of stem cell, such as hair loss, hematopoiesis related diseases and tissue regeneration related diseases.
Background
The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in many biological processes. For example, aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has led to several phenotypes, including the development of a variety of human cancers, and diseases leading to abnormal development and functioning of stem cells [Oncogene (2009), 28(21), 2163-2172; Cancer Cell (2008), 14(6), 471-484; American Journal of Pathology (2003), 162(5), 1495-1502]. Chronic activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has been implicated in the development of a variety of human malignancies, including high bone mass syndrome, sclerosteosis, colorectal carcinomas, hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), ovarian, uterine, pancreatic carcinomas, and melanomas [BioEssays (1999) 21(12), 1021-1030; Cell (2000), 103(2), 311-320; Genes Dev. (2000), 14(15), 1837-1851]. Since the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is involved in a number of growth and development processes, mutation of the proteins involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction system has also been linked to other human diseases such as abnormalities in development, hair follicle morphogenesis, stem cell differentiation, bone formation, and cell proliferation.